Gasoline

Fuel Economy Improves for First Time Since August

February 5, 2015
• by Staff

EPA fuel economy window sticker courtesy of Wikipedia.

The average fuel economy of new U.S. vehicles increased 0.3 mpg and logged the first improvement since August, according to the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute's monthly report.

The average window-sticker number for new cars, trucks, SUVs, and vans reached 25.4 mpg in January. It reached 25.1 mpg in December. During the summer months, the average mpg of new vehicles purchased remained about 25.5 mpg. The monthly report is produced by Michael Sivak and Brandon Schoettle.

The fall in new-vehicle fuel economy since late summer mirrors a slide in gasoline prices that began in late June. Sales of pickup trucks, vans and SUVs surged in the second half of 2014. This trend has been seen in fleet sales as well as the retail channel.

New-vehicle fuel economy has risen 5.3 mpg since October of 2007, when the UMTRI began its tracking.

The University of Michigan's Eco-Driving Index, which tracks average monthly greenhouse gas emissions, reached 0.77 in November, a decline from the 0.80 rating in October. A lower score is better than a higher score.

The average fuel economy of new vehicles sold in the U.S. in December fell to 25 mpg — down 0.2 mpg from a revised November value, according to Brandon Schoettle and Michael Sivak, researchers from the University of Michigan's Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI).

The national average price of unleaded gasoline jumped 5 cents to $2.49 per gallon in the first week of 2018 and has reached a level not seen since 2014 during the week that starts the new year, according to AAA.

China is setting a deadline for automakers to end the sale of fossil-fuel powered vehicles as the country looks to reduce oil consumption and pollution and push for the development of electric vehicles. Regulators are working on a timetable for the ban.

The average national price of gasoline remained at $2.29 per gallon for the week ending March 27 amid discussion by the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) to extend a production cut by another six months.